The Pew Research Center has released findings of a survey of 2,002 American adults and 3,748 U.S.-based members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. There is a lot of great information in here that illustrates how scientists and the public view science, it’s role the world, STEM education, and each other. What they collectively illustrate is the ongoing need to foster science literacy in the United States. As Pew’s Lee Rainie argues:
“Science issues are increasingly civic issues, and they’re not distinct. They’re not off to the side,” he said. “They’re at the center of what defines the culture and the society and how people live their lives.”
In short, science in highly relevant to and impacts our day-to-day lives. It’s crucial that everyone learns to use science to interpret, analyze, and make effective decisions about challenging, real-world issues.